


Greed

by tonkssweeney



Series: The Seven Deadly Sins Anthology [4]
Category: Hanson (Band)
Genre: Angst, Brother/Brother Incest, Cheating, Hand Jobs, M/M, Seven Deadly Sins
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-19
Updated: 2019-06-19
Packaged: 2020-05-15 01:10:54
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,351
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19285018
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tonkssweeney/pseuds/tonkssweeney
Summary: Zac demands more from Taylor.





	Greed

**2008**

_Greed: An insatiable longing and selfish desire for personal gain, especially wealth, power, status, or food._

Zac paced back and forth, running his hands through his unruly hair, trying to keep them occupied otherwise he was sure he'd punch a hole in the wall. Taylor was an hour late for their date and he hadn't heard from him, other than a brief _Gonna be late, I'm with Natalie_ text.

Those six words made him feel sick to his stomach with jealousy and... something else. Something more akin to greed.

Part of their routine when they were back in Tulsa was meeting up at various hotel rooms around the city a few times a week, always using the excuse of business to justify their absences to their wives. They'd even went the extra mile and set up a secret joint bank account that they could use for said hotel room purchases. Their homes were not safe zones and even their studio wasn't safe anymore, as it had become tricky to find privacy in with a full staff supporting them. If Zac hadn't been so happy to be with Taylor that he thought he could burst with elation, he would have felt pretty pathetic for the lengths that they were going to in order to cheat on their wives - but he didn't. Guilt was no longer a word in his vocabulary.

Selfishly, it didn't even matter that Zac had a newborn at home. His son Shepherd was without a doubt a beautiful blessing, but Zac couldn't stomach being at home twenty four seven with the baby and Kate, playing house like they were the perfect family. They weren't, and as Zac proved every day, they were far from it. Zac did his share of midnight feedings and diaper changes but he'd take the opportunity to leave whenever he could, as often as he could. The sad truth was that he wasn't ready for fatherhood and the pregnancy had been unplanned. For better or worse, Zac was always following in Taylor's footsteps.

It was beyond narcissistic and Zac had no arguments in favor of himself. He knew he was extra selfish because he was also pulling Taylor away from Natalie and their three children. For whatever perverse reason, Zac was able to push all of those facts aside more readily than Taylor was. He usually took a little extra convincing to sneak out of the house to meet up with Zac, but in the end he always gave in. Zac couldn't really identify what had changed in their relationship that fateful night in 2006, but he'd dare not question it. He had Taylor, the thing he'd been longing for his entire life. The reasons why were not important to Zac.

Except tonight. It didn't appear that they were going to have tonight, as it had been almost three hours since their agreed upon meeting time and Taylor still hadn't arrived. Zac was too angry to sleep, so he decided to lay in bed stewing in his feelings until Taylor showed up, or until he finally fell asleep - whichever came first. 

Taylor showed up at the hotel room a half hour later, tip toeing inside as if to not disturb Zac. Zac was laying against the headboard with his arms crossed, fingers drumming against his biceps, his blood pumping angrily through his veins.

"Look who decided to finally show up."

He'd made Taylor jump a little and let out a surprised grunt. "You scared me," he said as he tossed his messenger bag onto the floor and slipped out of his boots. "I told you I was with Natalie. Don't act so surprised."

Zac could tell by the sound of Taylor's voice that he wasn't playing around either. They were both in a mood and an argument was very likely to ensue. But why was Taylor pissed? Zac hadn't done anything to warrant that kind of attitude from him. _He_ had a reason to be mad, not the other way around.

"What the Hell happened? I've been waiting for you for HOURS, and all I got was one measly text three and a half hours ago."

Taylor stripped out of his pants and jacket before slipping under the covers next to Zac. "Natalie and I had a fight," he explained, his voice a little softer and deeper than it was just a moment ago. "She's pregnant. Again. And as you know we weren't exactly trying." He sighed once more and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Then she yelled at me for not being around enough. It's a miracle I even made it here tonight. I was only able to get away because she told me to get the Hell out."

If Zac were a better person, he would have felt bad for Taylor. He also would have felt guilty for his role in the matter; after all, he was at least half of the reason that Taylor was never home when they weren't touring. All that aside, he wanted to tell Taylor how stupid he was for having another unplanned child, but who was he to judge? He'd just had a baby with a woman that he didn't love, one that was more like a placeholder rather than a wife.

"I hate feeling like I come second in your life," he revealed, not even able to hide the bitterness in his voice. He didn't feel guilty that Natalie was pissed at Taylor - he'd loved him first, way before she ever came into their lives. Taylor was _his_ first.

"You are the most important thing in my life, Zac," Taylor whispered, frowning. "But we're adults and we have families and we have to take care of our responsibilities."

His brother's words cut through his heart like a knife. Zac knew he was right but that didn't make it feel any less painful. "I don't know what I'm supposed to say to that," he replied, his voice devoid of any kind of emotion.

Taylor slipped his arms around Zac's waist and nuzzled into the crook of his neck, pressing a soft kiss there. "Tell me that you love me and I'm just over-exaggerating."

"I do love you, more than anything," Zac said, resting his cheek against the top of Taylor's head. "And if there was an award for over-exaggerating, you'd take first place, Taylor Hanson."

He chuckled and nipped Zac's earlobe, sending a chill down that side of his body. "Thanks. That actually helped," he admitted. "But what's wrong with you? I sense that you're angry... and I'm assuming it's at me."

_Damn right, I'm angry. You were three hours late because of your wife and your zoo of children. I'm angry because you don't belong to me, and they don't deserve you. Only I deserve you._

"Honestly Taylor, did you expect me to not be angry even in the slightest?" Zac shifted so that he could look down at Taylor, directly into his eyes so that he could see how serious he was being. "I am angry. I'm selfish and I will fully admit that. I want you. All of you. I want to snap my fingers and have Natalie and Kate magically disappear. I'm sick and tired of this charade we have going on."

"Zac," Taylor shook his head and sat up so that they were eye level. "Are you really saying what I think you're saying? If Kate and Natalie weren't around, that means our children wouldn't exist."

Admitting that would make Zac the biggest dick to ever walk the face of the Earth, even if he really felt that way. As much as he loved his son and his nieces and nephews, he did often wonder what his life with Taylor would have become if they weren't in the picture.

"I know that. And of course I don't want our children to disappear," Zac corrected him. "But I need you all to myself. Don't you feel that way about me?"

Taylor grabbed Zac's hip and ran his thumb against the soft skin in a reassuring gesture. "Of course I do, Zac, but it's just not in the cards for us. You know that." Taylor leaned in to kiss Zac but he quickly turned his head to avoid it, and instead his lips landed on his cheek. "Zac..."

Every emotion possible stirred inside Zac like a tornado. In his mind it _was_ in the cards. They could have whatever future they wanted if they were brave enough to, but Taylor wasn't going to budge no matter how hard he protested. "I disagree with you. We could leave them right now and get a house of our own. We're spending eighty percent of our time together already, why not?"

"Zac," Taylor sighed. "Please, I don't want to argue with you tonight. I want to just be with you and enjoy your company. Can we put a pin in this until we're both of sound mind? I'm exhausted, and you must be, too."

_Excuses, excuses._

"Yeah. Alright."

But it wasn't alright.

***

The following morning, or more accurately described as the following afternoon, Zac woke up to numerous missed calls and five texts from Kate. Typically a man in his position would assume that something was amiss or that there was an emergency, but Zac knew better. Kate had a propensity to text like she was having an in-person conversation, sending an absurd amount of texts in succession. He reviewed each text one by one and grunted quietly under his breath.

_I miss you._  
_Shep misses you too._  
_We can't wait till you come home._  
_Hope you are doing alright._  
_Call me when you wake up._

Zac grabbed his pillow and shoved it over his face, a pathetic attempt at smothering himself. When he felt Taylor stir next to him and reach for the pillow, he fought against him. "Let me wallow," he said, his voice muffled.

"Trying to give you a kiss good morning," he thought he heard Taylor say.

The promise of a good morning kiss was enough for Zac to come back up for air. Perking up, he propped the pillow under his head and puckered his lips. "I'm waiting for that kiss you promised."

Taylor was grinning against Zac's lips as he kissed him deeply with no regard to their morning breath. "Good morning, beautiful," he said quietly, slipping his hand into the waistband of Zac's boxers in order to grip his morning erection.

Zac moaned softly and slid a hand into Taylor's hair, combing away his messy bedhead. "See, we could do this every morning if we were together. REALLY together."

"Zac..." Taylor withdrew his hand from Zac's boxers.

"What? I'm serious. Think of how amazing it would be." He rolled over and straddled Taylor's hips, hands on the pillow next to his head, hips pushing downwards. "You could have me every morning," he said, his voice reticent.

Taylor grabbed Zac's hips and bit back a moan when he rolled down against him. "Zac... c'mon. I don't want to have an argument. I want to enjoy this day with you. We need to just live in the moment, okay? What we have is so perfect right now."

"She doesn't love you like I do, Tay. She can't make you feel as good as I do," Zac said candidly, his hand slipping into the opening of Taylor's briefs, fingers wrapping around him and pulling him free from the fabric. "I'm better than her and you know it. I want to hear you say it."

"You make me feel so good, Zac," Taylor breathed heavily. "Better than anyone. Better than - better than Natalie."

Zac tightened his grip around Taylor and moved his hand at a faster pace. Taylor's blue eyes were burning into him, looking so obedient underneath him. "Tell me you need me."

Taylor grabbed Zac by the back of the neck and pulled him in so that he could connect their mouths in a wistful kiss. His tongue darted out to flick against Zac's. "Need you. Want you." They kissed wantonly as if that kiss would be their last, Taylor's hand tangled into the back of Zac's hair, hips pushing up against him. He moaned Zac's name along with a stream of curses as he came between them, droplets falling from Zac's hand onto Taylor's stomach.

"You're mine," Zac demanded, claiming Taylor's lips with his own. "You belong to me, not Natalie."

Taylor fell back against his pillows and flashed Zac a curious and perturbed look, his chest heaving up and down as his breathing settled. "I don't _belong_ to you, Zac. And I don't belong to Natalie."

Zac wiped his hand on his shirt and sat back on Taylor's knees, mirroring his same expression. "Okay, I didn't say that to try to piss you off, but you ARE mine. And I am yours. That is a fact, Taylor."

Taylor pushed Zac off of him and slipped out of bed, cleaning off his chest and stomach with a hand towel from the bathroom. "Look, I'm gonna go back home and try to patch things over with Natalie. I suggest you try to do the same with Kate. Maybe start by answering her damn texts." 

Zac watched his brother redress, frowning and shaking his head frantically. "N-no. Look, I'm sorry, okay? Please don't go, Tay. We have all day to spend together. I don't want us to go home yet. Let's talk about this..."

"I'll call you tomorrow, alright? I just need a little bit of distance right now. I think we could both benefit from that."

"Tay-"

As Taylor walked out of the hotel room and let the door slam shut behind him, Zac realized that he was treating him more like his property, like an object that he owned, rather than like his boyfriend. Losing Taylor would be like losing a part of his soul, and Zac would do whatever was in his power to keep that from happening. He knew then that to make it up to him, he had to start by doing penance for his greed.


End file.
